Good Qualifying Runs Please Troxel Going into Eliminations
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/m_troxel_508502.jpg" alt="m_troxel_508502" align="left"borders="0"/>
SONOMA, Calif., July 26, 2008 – The last qualifying run Melanie Troxel made Saturday afternoon was second-quickest of the session on a hot, slippery Infineon Raceway track and provided a confidence booster for the Gotham City Racing Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team going into Sunday’s FRAM Autolite Nationals eliminations.
Her 4.206-second 1000-foot time was impressive, but her 4.156-second run at 297.29 mph on Friday was her quickest and put her 10th overall. She meets Jerry Toliver (7th, 4.136 at 298.34) in the first round.
“Anytime you can run like that in the hot, tricky conditions it gives everyone on the team a lot of confidence,” she said. “I heard Brian (Corradi, crew chief) talking before we went up for that run and he said ‘yeah, I know I could back it down and just try to get down the track,’ but he really wanted to go out and see what we could do. So they obviously made some great calls to get the car down the track. It’s a great way to head into Sunday.”
Round wins are vital if Troxel is to get into the top 10 in the four races, but she isn’t fretting over it.
“It’s not entirely true to say that I’ve stopped worrying about getting in the top 10, because obviously we want very much do to that. But you can only try as hard as you can. Everybody on the team has been giving their all and we are going to try to win the race. Whatever happens . . . happens.”
She already has a victory at Bristol , Tenn. , on her resume, but another one or two between now and Labor Day would certainly help her playoff cause.
“I’m pretty comfortable about our qualifying spot,” added Troxel. “I feel we have a good race car.”
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/m_troxel_508502.jpg" alt="m_troxel_508502" align="left"borders="0"/>
SONOMA, Calif., July 26, 2008 – The last qualifying run Melanie Troxel made Saturday afternoon was second-quickest of the session on a hot, slippery Infineon Raceway track and provided a confidence booster for the Gotham City Racing Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team going into Sunday’s FRAM Autolite Nationals eliminations.
Her 4.206-second 1000-foot time was impressive, but her 4.156-second run at 297.29 mph on Friday was her quickest and put her 10th overall. She meets Jerry Toliver (7th, 4.136 at 298.34) in the first round.
“Anytime you can run like that in the hot, tricky conditions it gives everyone on the team a lot of confidence,” she said. “I heard Brian (Corradi, crew chief) talking before we went up for that run and he said ‘yeah, I know I could back it down and just try to get down the track,’ but he really wanted to go out and see what we could do. So they obviously made some great calls to get the car down the track. It’s a great way to head into Sunday.”
Round wins are vital if Troxel is to get into the top 10 in the four races, but she isn’t fretting over it.
“It’s not entirely true to say that I’ve stopped worrying about getting in the top 10, because obviously we want very much do to that. But you can only try as hard as you can. Everybody on the team has been giving their all and we are going to try to win the race. Whatever happens . . . happens.”
She already has a victory at Bristol , Tenn. , on her resume, but another one or two between now and Labor Day would certainly help her playoff cause.
“I’m pretty comfortable about our qualifying spot,” added Troxel. “I feel we have a good race car.”
